For people along the border in northeastern Sweden, it has been obvious to travel freely back and forth to friends, work or to shop. It has been called the world's most peaceful border and there is even its own word in the Tornedalen for love across the border: poikkinainti, which means cross-married.
A long-term collaboration has led to them having a common language school, sewage treatment plant, district heating, travel center, museum, rescue service and leisure facilities.
Then came the pandemic and Finland closed the border, while Sweden kept its open.
Finns have free passage
While Finns continue to come to Sweden unhindered to shop and buy snus, the rules are much stricter for Swedes to enter Finland. On both sides of the border, the population is now experiencing increased opposition.
- The feeling that something as natural as taking a trip to Finland has been taken away from me, says Kerstin Hedlund. I'm a product of poikkinaintu and I feel like half of me have been stolen.
The bathhouse dried up
Haparanda bathhouse is dry and closed indefinitely. There is mold on the roof and it was possible to swim in Tornio on the Finnish side. For the cooperation was well developed and bus transports to the bath in Tornio were already booked. Now the situation is worrying.
-When there is a conflict like this that has arisen due to political decisions elsewhere, then it becomes much harder work, says Sven Tornberg (C) municipal councilor in Haparanda.
The Border Barriers Council has drawn attention
Sven-Erik Bucht (S) is Sweden's representative in the Nordic Border Barriers Council. He has raised the issue there.
They have asked the Nordic ministers to draw up a strategy for dealing with this type of crisis.
- When the pandemic is over, the fence that now divides the city will be removed, but what sat in people's heads, hatred and nationalism, it will be harder to get rid of, says Bucht.